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If you need to convert measurements into their equivalents in another system, here's how to do it:

ounces to grams:multiply ounce figure by 28.3 to get number of grams
grams to ounces: multiply gram figure by .0353 to get number of ounces
pounds to grams: multiply pound figure by 453.59 to get number of grams
pounds to kilograms: multiply pounds by 0.45 to get number of kilograms
ounces to milliliters: multiply ounce figure by 30 to get number of milliliters
cups to liters: multiply cup figure by 0.24 to get number of liters
Fahrenheit to Celsius: subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit figure, multiply by 5, then divide by 9 to get Celsius figure
Celsius to Fahrenheit: multiply Celsius figure by 9, divide by 5, then add 32 to get Fahrenheit figure
inches to centimeters: multiply inches by 2.54 to get number of centimeters
centimeters to inches: multiply centimeter figure by .39 to get number of inches

Here are a few more tips, substitutions and shortcuts that I have collected over the years.

Lumpy sauce or gravy - Pour gravy or sauce through a strainer and mash out lumps with a wooden spoon. Re-heat very slowly.
Curdled or separated mayonnaise - Into a warmed bowl, put 1 t. mustard, 1 T. curdled mayo. Beat with whisk until creamy. Add mayo slowly until well blended.
Too much fat in gravy - Pour liquid through ice cubes in a bowl. The fat will solidify.
A crack in the middle of cake - The oven was too hot or temp was uneven during baking. Disguise with frosting.
Cake rises too much, overflows pan - Too much baking powder; too little flour; or pan was filled more than two thirds.
Cake rises in oven, caves when cooling - Pan was overfilled or egg whites where beaten when recipe didn't call for it.
Cake has a shiny, sticky streak - Poor mixing; too slow baking, or irregular heating of pan in oven.
Cake is sticky - Too much liquid or too much sugar was used or baking powder was too old.
Weak brewed coffee - Add a little instant to the pot. It will strengthen it without changing the fresh taste.
Bitter tasting brewed coffee - Put a pinch of salt into coffee that was brewed too long.
Weak brewed tea - Add a pinch of baking soda to the teapot.
Too much salt - Add a little vinegar and sugar, then taste. A raw potato helps absorb the salt in soups or stews.
Stewed fruit is turning sour - Add a pinch of baking soda to the fruit and reboil for 5 minutes.
When stewing very sour fruit - Add a pinch of salt while stewing to reduce the amount of sugar needed for sweetening.
Stored coconut is dry and hard - Put coconut in a strainer over a steaming pot of water for a few minutes.
Hands smell of onion and garlic - Rinse hands in cold water, rub with salt or baking powder, rinse again, then wash with soap and water.
Strong onion or cabbage cooking odors - To prevent odors while cooking, set a tin cup of vinegar on stove and let boil.
Sticky rice - Rinse rice throughly with warm water to wash out the excess starch. Grains will separate.
Shell cracks while egg is boiling - Add a few drops of vinegar to the water; use eggs at room temp.
One egg short for a recipe - Substitute 1 teaspoon of cornstarch.
Tough rubbery omelet - Add one scant teaspoon of boiling water per egg to mixture to keep omelet from being tough.
Slightly stale bread - Sprinkle bread with water or milk; wrap in foil, bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes. If hard crusted, open foil for 3-5 min. more.
Dry coffee cake - Put 2 tablespoons water or milk in a large skillet; place un-iced cake on tivet and cover. Leave over low heat about 8 minutes. Do not cover iced coffeecake.
To keep sugar soft and moist - Place a slice of bread in the container and cover tightly.
Brown sugar caked and hard - Place in 200F over until the sugar is dry and crumbly; powder it in a blender or use a mortar and pestle.
To keep granulated sugar from lumping - Place a couple of salt crackers in the container and cover tightly.
Too much sugar - Add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar.
Fish has strong fishy odor - rub fish with lemon juice and salt to prevent odor from being absorbed by other foods.
Dried out leftover cheese - Store dried out cheese (unprocessed) in freezer; frozen it crumbles easily; slice it thin without thawing to use in recipes calling for grated cheese.
Frying fat has strong flavor or odor - After frying strong flavored foods, cool fat and clarify it by adding a raw potato and reheat slowly. Discard potato; strain fat and store.
Frying fat or oil left over - Cool and strain through cheesecloth. Store covered in refrigerator.

Don't toss out the onion peels, carrot peels, garlic ends, celery ends, parsley, etc when preparing your meals. Add them to a freezer bag, kept in the freezer, as you get them and use them to make stock when you have enough. They are delicious as a vegetable stock or added to chicken or beef parts also kept in a separate freezer bag until there is enough to use. The use of a large crock pot makes almost effortless stocks without the addition of preservatives, sodium and other unhealthy additives. Strain through a fine strainer or through layered cheesecloth to clarify it even more. Be sure to wash your vegetables before peeling. It is difficult to wash peelings. The use of beets or strong tasting herbs like cilantro is not recommended.

Fresh Bacon Bits

Partially freeze your package of bacon so that it holds together easier while slicing. Use a sharp knife and cut the frozen bacon into long strips about 1/4 inch wide. Turn the bacon and cut the strips into pieces also about 1/4 in wide. Fry over a medium high heat until crisp. There is no need to separate the pieces. They separate during cooking. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

I've been noticing a few more recipes and members from the UK posting and I'm sometimes not sure exactly what they mean when mentioning a specific oven temp or ingredient and thought this might be helpful.

Sorry Nelly I guess I didn't word that very well. You're the only Brit that I'm aware of here on Bakespace, but I have seen other international recipes here and other sites that had some things mentioned that I had been wondering about. I had some recipes from Gordon Ramsey, that always mentioned gas marks and now I know how to set the proper oven temp. I remember seeing a recipe that called for stoned raisins, and I wondered...heck do I need to find some weed to make this stuff, and if I do, should I really waste it in a recipe? _________________Carol

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